CHEAM LANDFILL

The Challenge: The landfill, located right in the Cheam community, closed in 2001 and was capped with an engineered cover to control rainfall drainage, reduce water infiltration, and prevent leachate. Over time as the material underneath degraded, the cover has settled creating a health and environmental risk to the community.

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The Solution: A team of experts is working with Cheam Enterprises Inc. to implement a design plan that restores the landfill to a state which controls the water infiltration and prevents leachate. This involves accepting new non-hazardous fill material until the ground level reaches the appropriate slope and can be recapped.

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Benefits of the Project to the Cheam Community: Restoring the landfill to a controlled state protects the health of the community and creates jobs. The new cap will control water infiltration and the stringent fill acceptance process (screening, analysis, and confirmation of new material brought to the site) performed by a Cheam First Nation’s qualified technical representative, will ensure that all new material accepted will not adversely affect the community. The work required to operate and monitor the site creates jobs for 4 band members.

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Environmental Benefits: The restoration plan is designed to improve the landfill conditions and protect the environment from the effects of water on the landfill. The fill acceptance process controls the material that is being added to the site and a program to monitor groundwater and gaseous emissions is performed by independent third parties.

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Economic Benefits: The restoration plan has an additional benefit of generating significant revenue for Cheam and Cheam Enterprises Inc. (a 100% band-owned Economic Development Company). The expectation is that Cheam and Cheam Enterprises Inc. will generate over $15 million in revenue in addition to the creation of 4 jobs for community members. Once the site is recapped it will be repurposed for a future community-owned development.

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Soil Disposal information: For those looking to place soil at the landfill, it is conveniently located just off Highway 1 at Bridal Falls (1 hour east of Vancouver).

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The site accepts only the following material:

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■ Soil ■ Rock

■ Concrete ■ Asphalt and Asphalt products

■ Crushed and/or Processed Rock products

■ Construction and/or Demolition products

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Minor amounts of non-hazardous debris entrained in an acceptable material may be approved, at the discretion of Cheam First Nation, including: